After the era of simple, streamlined and honestly, maybe even a bit boring minimalism, people are once again starting to turn more towards warmer and slightly more relaxed styles when decorating their living spaces. Sure, minimalism is great, and if that’s your cup of tea – just go for it, but some of us are really looking forward to bringing some creativity and personality back to our interiors. Shabby chic is one of the best styles you can go for if you still like the things to be pretty tame but beautiful, unique and even vintage. One of the best things about this style is the fact that you can take virtually any piece of furniture and shabby chic it the way you want to if you’re unable to find something of that sorts in your local stores. But how can you exactly embellish your home with shabby chic and how can you DIY the pieces to match your aesthetics?
What is considered shabby chic?
Shabby chic can be any piece of furniture that is of a weathered look and that appears to display signs of wear and tear. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that any old, worn-out chair or sofa can be considered shabby chic. Instead, aside from “shabby”, these items also need to be chic to match the criterion. Their appearance usually resembles an item that has been painted over heavily over the years, so the paint started to lift and chip off. And while that’s definitely the overall visual appeal of these pieces, this style can easily be recreated on newer furniture pieces, to give off the same vibe without necessarily being of the same age.
Be mindful of the colors you use
The number one staple of the entire shabby chic vibe is definitely soft colors. While the chic design certainly somewhat steers clear of muted and light tones, shabby chic embraces them with open arms. That being said, look for furniture pieces in lighter, more neutral shades and elevate the look with wall art, throw pillows, or area rugs that rock a bold pattern but, once again, in those similar hues.
Don’t settle
Furthermore, if you happen to find a piece of furniture you just know will match your interior style-wise but it simply doesn’t match the color scheme you have going on, do know that you don’t have to settle and give up on the piece entirely. Instead, you can shabby chic it yourself and make it blend in. This project, however, will take some time, so you need to make sure you can actually make it possible before you dive in. Some of the tools and equipment you’ll need, aside from time, include a sanding machine, sandpaper, primer, paint and lacquer, paintbrushes and paint rollers and protective sheets.
If, on the other hand, you do really like the piece but simply don’t have the time to play with it yourself, find a company specializing in furniture repair projects and let them take care of your piece for you. If you opt for this, make sure you tell them the color scheme you have in mind, and even show them some pictures of your space, so that they can get the best idea of what you had in mind.
Create a healthy balance
As with any other “mixed” style, sticking heavily with a single design trait can potentially make your space too overwhelming, even though the colors themselves are not. So, as much as possible, try to go with the 80/20 rule when decorating. Now, since this interior design style is very versatile as is regarding the patterns and furniture pieces, you need to find something to tie it all together. That “something” is usually the color choice. But, in order to make your décor truly pop, you should consider contrasting the furniture with the wall/floor color but avoid going too crazy.
For the walls, neutrals are still in the game but think a bit deeper hues or even light pastels. As far as the floors are concerned, sticking with the natural color of the hardwood is usually ok, but if you want to elevate the look further, consider shabby chic-ing the floor as well, but with a deeper neutral such as light gray.
If you’re looking to bring some charm, creativity and warmth into your living space, consider going for a shabby chic style. It’s pretty and versatile but, most importantly, it allows you to play with your imagination and create a space you’ll truly love and enjoy.